Wall flashing



v July 29; 1941.

G. E. SWENSON WALL FLASHING Filed July 25, 1938- Q INVENTOR vQEMZTMSAVEA/Ja/M BY fi TTORNEM that the entry of waterinto' PatentedJuly 29, 194i WALL FLASHING Hastings on Hudson, N. Y.,

George E. Swenson,

assignor. to The Celote'x Corporation, Chicago,

111., a corporation of Delaware Application July 25, 1938, Serial No.221,054

4 Claims. (C1. 72-127) This invention relates to a wall constructionwherein there is provided a wall flashing which a is particularlyadaptable for use as a throughwall flashing under coping and wherein thenew and improved flashing hereof serves the purpose of both preventingthe entry of water into the wall construction and as a resilient beddingfor the coping.

The invention is illustrated in connection with the structure of aparapet wall wherein the improved flashing is illustrated asappliedunder the coping which, in previous and usual methods of wallconstruction, has been a portion of a building difilcult tosatisfactorily construct. so the wall structure at such portion thereofmight be prevented.

In usual parapet wall construction or the like; it has customarily beenthe bed the coping in mortar on the top of the brick or like wallstructure and it happens that in many instances in such construction thecoping is not firmly bedded on the top of the wall structure or themortar bed therefore cracks or more or less disintegrates under theaction of the elements so that water may be driven in under the copingby winds, where, after the water has once entered into the wallstructure under coping it may find its way down through the parapet walland into the interior of the building structure; or if such watereventually flnds its way again to' the exterior of the wall structure itpractice to merely and is fabricated in such manner thereof, utilized inaccordance with teachings hereof, water is prevented from entering intoa wall structure under the wall copings. or under window or door sillsand'the like.

In addition to the objects of the invention just mentioned, it is afurther object of the invention to provide what might be termed a copingflashing or the, like which v to prevent the entry of moisture into thewall under a coping 'or the like, but it is a further object of theinvention to provide such a flashing composed of a material which iswaterproof,

which has a resilience so that slight inequalities of the wall structureor of coping blocks or the like may be compensated for and stillfurther,

there is provided a substantially continuous water-proof barrier whichhas provision for the escape of water which may wall structure at orupon flashing. Still other and further objects of the invention hereofwill be apparent upon consideration of the following-detaileddescription of the inventions hereof.

usually carries various salts dissolved therein whereby as this waterevaporates from the wall surface, the salts remain thereon asdiscoloring encrustations. p

Even though in a construction such as' is herein concerned the coping ona parapet wall maybe properly bedded in mortarand this mortar line mayremain intact, the entry 'of Y moisture into the wall in the manner asdescribed may occur since there is apparently capillary phenomenainvolved which tends to ing element shown in carry any rain or the likeon the underside of the coping and thus'convey it into the wall beneaththe coping where the undesirable effects as above mentioned will result.

It is an object of this invention to provide a parapet wall constructionor like constructions involving window and door sills .and the likewherein, there is provided in the wall construction elements whichprevent the entry of waterinto the wall structure under the coping blockor window or door sill or the like and wherein,

'in such construction there is utilized a structural element which iscomposed of such materials In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is adiagrammatic illustration of 'a portion of a wall structure illustratinga parapet wall having a coping thereon; I i r Figure 2 ma plan View ofthe coping flashing utilized in connection with the constructionillustrated in Figure 1; and v Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of theflash- Flgure 2, the view being taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the various figures of v numerals are employed to indicate likeportions in the several figures;

'In accordance with the construction illustrated .there is indicated atiii a portion of a wall construction, such-as in usual buildingconstruetions, comprising an upward extension of a side wall to providewhat-is usually referred to as a parapet wall, that is, a wall extendingup above thereof of the buildingto serve as a flnish for the side wallsof a building and as a protection and the roofing for the building roofdeck thereonvwhich are diagrammatically indicated at H. None of thedetails of the roof deck or rooflng are indicated since the specificconstruction thereof is not involved'in the inventions herein disclosed.

In the construction illustrated, the parapet wall is indicated as ofusual brick construction laid up with mortar but it is to be understoodthat the specific disclosure is merely indicative that by the use servesnot, only condense in the the surfaces oivthe the drawing, like 7 sobrittle that and that. the parapet wall may be constructed of any usualbuilding -materials without affecting in any mannerthe application ofthe any suitable coping material, as for example, the coping may becomposed of stone or concrete 'or terra 'cotta or the like, the suchcoping materials being those .generally used for the I purpose.

The through-wall flashing I2 embodying the inventions hereof is of sheetform material, the base of which is felted fibrous substance, beingsheets of such felted fibrous substances as are ordinarily manufacturedand sold as fiber insulating board. The fiber insulating board basematerial is for the purposes hereof saturated with a water-proofmaterial such as asphalt and as an example the such fiber board sheetsmay be saturated with asphalt to the extent of l 100 to 200% of theweight of the fiber board with an asphalt of from' 100 to 140 degrees F.melting point. which falls within the limitsof 100 to Mildegrees F.melting point need not .be rigidly adhered to and there may be used forthe saturation any asphalt or asphaltic material or equivalent saturantssuch as pitch or the like so long The particular type of asphalt.

of the strip I2 in any suitable manner, that is, the channels I5 may beimpressed into the surface of the sheet I2 or they may be suitably cutin the surface of the-sheet I2 or in some instances the desiredchannelsmay be formed in the-surface of the sheet in the process ofmanufacture of the fibrous base sheet material. The described channelsI5 are preferably provided 1 on each of the'opposite face surfaces offlashing sheets I2 but it is to be understood that the particularpattern of the channels provided in the as the physical characteristicsof the saturant are such that at the usual temperatures encountered thesaturant is not unduly softened at the higher temperatures, so that itwill run out of or bleed from the fiber board base material, or at thelower temperatures will not be the saturated fiber board is fragile.

The saturated fiber board after saturation as described comprises thebasic substance from which my through-wall flashing is produced andforthe production of a through-wall flashing the saturatedsheets offiber board are prepared in suitable widths which are preferably thewidths ordinarily encountered in the construction of building walls andof any convenient length. Preferably the saturated fiber sheet will beof about inch thickness but the such sheet may be of any reasonable.thickness say from about M; inch to inch of thickness without in anymanner departing from the inventions hereof. An average through-wallflashing strip in accordance with the inventions hereof may beapproximately inch thick by 13 inches wide by, say, 4 feet in length.

The prepared base for the through-wall flashing material hereof willhave formed in a surface thereof a series of channels or cut-outsindicated "at I5 which channels or cut-outs as illustrated comprise agrid-likeinter-connected pattern in which the individual channels extendfrom edge to edge, sideways of thejs'heetand wherein each such channelin its. length crosses and connects with similar channels disposed. atan angle thereto.

It is to be understood that in forming the channel network on thesurface of a throughwall flashing strip I2 as herein described that thechannels I5 may be formed in the surface that the channels shall eitherof themselves be continuous across the width of a sheet I2 or thatthrough interconnection with other channels the channels. I5 formed inthesurface of sheet I2 shall connect with or extend to the edges ofsheet I2.

-In the formation of a wall structure embodying the inventions hereof, abrick wall or the like I0 is laid up in the customary manner and'aprepared sheet of my through-wall flashing I2 is applied at the top ofsuch brick wall structure and is bedded thereon in a bed of mortar I3.In bedding the flashing strip I2 in the mortar bed I3, the mortar willenter into the channel pattern on the lower face, such channel patternbeing indicatedat I5a of the flashing strip I2 and due thereto the stripI2 will be firmly adhered at the top surface of the wall section I0being anchored in place by the entry of'the mortar into the channelpattern I5a as has been mentioned.

After the flashing strip I2 has been bedded on the top surface of thewall section III, a furwhich case the mortar will enter into the channelpattern I5 on the top surface of flashing strip I2 to securely anchorthe such mortar layer with respect to the flashing strip I2. Aftermortar It has been applied to the top surface of flashing strip I2 thecoping I4 may be applied and bedded in the mortar layer I6.

In the construction of the flashing strip I 2 the strip is preferably atits ends suitably scarfed or cut on a diagonal through the thicknessthereof so that at the ends there are provided complementing diagonalsurfaces I1, which surfaces H, a wall construction the scarfed ends I!will overlap so that at the joints there is provided a seal rather thanan open joint which would result were the ends of the sheets merely cutlapping construction.

. In a parapet wall constructed as above described and embodying theinventions hereof, it will be seen that when constructed in accordanceherewith there is provided a such wall structure in which at the topthereof, under'the coping, there is provided a continuous water-proofbarrier extending through the width of the wall and along the lengththereof. This water-proof barrier I2 provided under the coping I4 servesvarious functions in that the through-wall flashing prepared as has beenhereinbefore described has a reasonable resilience so that it may giveslightly to compensate for slight irregularities either in constructionof wall It or in the manufacture of the coping IS. The flashing I2, isdue to its when similar flashing strips are laid up inshown as scarfedor diagonally cut may aascyss Due to the resilience of the strip as hasbeen mentioned which tends to the formation of a continuous and solidbond between the mortar beds l3 and i6 andv the surfaces of the flashingstrip l2 there are no voids into which moisture is liable to be drivenby the wind and further, due to the secure bond which may be obtained,there is little or no tendency for moisture to travel into the wallalong the faces of the flashing strip l2 under the influence ofcapillarity.

Should by any chance some moisture be driven into the wall structureunder. the coping M or should moisture pass through such coping atjoints thereof, the penetration of such moisture into the wall properwill be prevented by the water-proof flashing strip H which forms thatportion of the wall'construction immediately under the coping-course.Any moisture which may in some manner get under the coping course I!will be intercepted at the-surface of flashing strip i 2 and may bleedor weep along channels due to the fact that the mortar filling thechannels l provides in effect capillary ducts which tend to convey anymoisture from the interior widths and'lengths and thickness and it is tobe understood that the strips maybe initially formed to the desired sizeor that the flashing material may be prepared in large sheets and cut tosizeas required.

Variations and modifications of the materials hereof and the method ofutilization thereof will be readily apparent to-those skilled in the artto which the inventions thereof appertain audit is my intention that thesuch various apparent adaptations and variations of my invention shallof the wall structure to the eirterior surface I thereof. l

In the preparation of the flashing strips II, in addition to thesaturation of the fiber board base material as has been described, itmay'in some instances be advantageous to surface coat the suriaces ofthe base material, after saturation thereof, with an asphaltic or moreor less similar substance, which surface coating substances may besubstantially the same as that I which is used for the saturation of thefiber sheet, although. preferably the such surface coating willadvantageously be of an asphalt or the like having a slightly lowermelting point than that of the saturant.

When the flashing sheet I2 is provided with a surface coating as hasbeen just described, the

finished flashing sheetis more nearly completely lized in other relationin the construction of building walls and the like and itis comprehendedthat the flashing strip hereof shall be used not only in connection withthe construction of parapet walls but that such may be utilized in anybuilding walls wherein the provision of a throughwall flashing isadvisable or desirable.

The through-wall flashing strips I! as described will of course be madein any suitable be comprehended within the scope of this disclosureinsofar as the same may be defined within the terminology of theappended claims.

The inventions hereof having been described in detail, I claim:

v1. A resilient and waterproof flashing sheet comprising a sheet ofasphalt saturated felted fiber board, a surface thereof having-a-plurality of diagonal intersecting channels extending across the boardfrom edge to edge, each channel comprising a receptacle for mortar aswell as a duct for conveying capillaryseepage water from a wall in whichthe flashing sheet is incorporated.

2. A resilient and waterproof flashing sheet comprising a felted fibrousboard having a waterproof coating over the surfaces thereof and thesurfaces thereof having a plurality of diagonal intersecting channelsextending across the board from edge to edge. each channel comprising areceptacle for mortar as well as a duct for conveying capillary seepagewater from a wall in which the flashing sheet is incorporated.

3. As an article of manufacture, a resilient and waterproof flashingsheet adapted to be incorporated in a wall and comprising a board formrated with a waterproofing,vthe saturant having in general physicalproperties of asphalt of from F. to F. melting point, the surfacesthereof having a plurality of diagonal intersectcapillaryseep'age waterfrom a wall in which the flashing sheet is incorporated, the sheet atits ends provided with complementally formed interfitting areas adaptedto sealingly overlap similar complemented-areas of, adjoining sheets.

bottom faces thereof a plurality of diagonal in-- tersecting channelsextending across the board from edge to edge, eachchannel comprising areceptacle for mortar as well as a duct for conveying capillary seepagewater from the wall in which, the flashing sheet is incorporated, the.

I said board bedded on top of the wall in mortar mortar.

and the coping bedded on top of the board in GEORGE E. SWENSON.

